From Afar
by galsbeingpals
Summary: Swan Queen AU. Based on the song by Vance Joy, suggested by unintentional-gal-pals on tumblr. A family study, developed from my interpretation of the song.
1. Chapter 1

**From Afar**

Based on the song by Vance Joy, suggested by unintentional-gal-pals on tumblr (although I don't think this is what you expected).

BREAK

"Honey, did you get the juice boxes?"

Neal sighed, but he had grown to accept false endearments and functionality as a part of life.

"I got 'em. Did you get the kids?"

Emma sighed at her husband's weak attempt at a joke, and went up to Cara's room. Cara was seven and she thought she knew everything. Sometimes Emma thought so too.

"Hey, C-dawg."

Cara rolled her eyes. She was wearing a pretty pink dress, a matching headband, and a scornful expression which only intensified when she saw her mother's attire.

"That is not my name. You and Daddy gave me a lovely name. Why don't you use it?"

Emma chuckled. "You got your stuff? And I do use it. Where's Loel?"

"Yes," Cara said, picking up her purple princess backpack. "Loel's in the basement."

Emma was confused. "Why is Loel in the basement?"

Cara shrugged as she passed her mother on the way out of her room. "Ask Loel."

Emma stared after her daughter, with her dark hair and brown eyes and lightly tanned skin. _You're so like her it scares me_. Emma wandered downstairs, raking her hand through her own blonde locks.

"Time to go," Neal said as she passed him. She nodded, heading for the back stairs.

"What's down there?"

"Our son, apparently."

Neal shook his head. He loved his kids, but he often didn't understand them.

The basement was dank and dusty, as usual, but the light was on. Emma followed a strange scuffling noise, and soon located her son. Half of him, at least. The other half was buried in a box.

"What are you looking for, kid?"

Loel extracted himself, standing to his full height, easily 6 feet or more. _When had that happened?_ He suffered from the plagues of most fifteen year old boys - intermittent acne, inability to put on weight, awkwardness about pretty much everything. He was also a sweetheart, and probably Emma's best friend.

"Your old catcher's mitt."

Emma leaned over the box, which was filled with her old softball gear. She dug around a bit and produced the mitt.

"How'd you find it so fast?" Loel exclaimed.

"Magic fingers. What do you want it for?" she asked, tossing it to him.

A pink tinge rose to Loel's cheeks. "I thought maybe… Maybe Dan would want to play with me."

Emma paused. Loel had never been sporty. He could run if he had to, but even then he tripped over his feet. This had never bothered her, she wanted him to be who he was, she'd never forced him into team sports and she actually loved his rather dorky interest in ancient fairytales and myths.

Daniel Mills, on the other hand, couldn't have been more athletic if he'd tried.

"That's a nice idea, Loel," Emma decided.

Loel smiled an adorable smile. "Hey, mom, where's my swimsuit?"

Emma raised her eyebrows. "Loel. We have been to the Locksley's summer barbecue every year since you were Cara's age and you have never once wanted to go swimming. In fact I remember several incidents of tantrums when it was even suggested that you _might_."

Loel attempted a nonchalant shrug. "I've grown up, that's all."

Dan always swam in the lake. Or cannonballed into it. Or dived into it like a professional.

"Okay," Emma said, trying not to seem incredulous. "I'll get your swimsuit. You find the ball, then go get in the car. Dad's getting antsy."

Loel made a face. "Dad's always antsy. It only takes an hour, we're not going to be late."

"Oh, but there might be construction!" Emma said dramatically.

"Or a tractor to get stuck behind!"

"Or a lazy deer!"

"Or an alien abduction!"

Emma hurried up the two flights of stairs, chuckling. She found Loel's swimsuit and grabbed a couple extra towels. You never knew. They'd all be swimming this time. Except maybe Henry. Henry was the in-between Mills, a charming eleven year old who would probably miss Loel a great deal if the older boy abandoned their book-talk in favour of "normality".

Minivans didn't come in yellow, so the car Emma clambered into was a sombre grey. She sat in the backseat with Cara since Loel's legs had gotten so long, and played with Cara's barbies. Cara allowed her to make her characters warrior women on the condition that they still had pretty hair.

BREAK

Regina was chopping salad vegetables as efficiently as humanly possible. Her son, Henry, was watching her.

"Mom?"

"Yes, dear?"

"Are you magic?"

She rolled her eyes. "No. Just experienced. Do you want to help?"

Henry collected the huge salad bowl. "Is an army coming?"

Regina chuckled. "Not quite. But you can never have too much salad."

"I'm sure you could," Henry argued. "Who _is_ coming?"

"The Cassidies, the Lucases, and your grandmother."

"You should just not tell Gram when it is next year."

Regina laughed. "She would find out."

"How?"

"I grew up with her, Henry. Believe me, I have tried keeping secrets from her, and it never works. Anyway, she's not that bad."

"She's a bit evil, though," Henry said with a good natured smirk. "How old's Jenny Lucas now?"

"Sixteen, the same as your brother."

"She's hot. So's Ruby."

"Ruby is my age, Henry, and I taught you better than to objectify women." Regina secretly didn't much like Jenny Lucas. She _was_ hot, but she was all too aware of the fact. Henry, ever perceptive, had noticed this too.

"I can't help but say Jenny's hot. She _makes_ you see it, you know?"

Regina pursed her lips. "I suppose she does. But that's largely the fault of society, so try to see past it, okay?"

"Fine. But all your friends are pretty. Why does it make a difference that they're old?"

Regina poked him in the ribs. "Did you just call me old?"

Henry laughed. "You know what I mean. But you agree, right? Emma's _really_ pretty."

Regina sighed. "Yes, I suppose she is." There wasn't really any suppose about it. "Now go find Robin, he should start up the grill."

"Do I have to?"

Regina gave him a look that was half stern, half pleading. "Not today, Henry."

It was no secret that Henry wasn't particularly fond of his stepfather. Robin was a sporty, outdoorsy man who had come into their lives when Henry was only two. It had been fine at first; Daniel had taken to Robin immediately. But Henry grew older, and somehow remembered his real father, despite having been only six months old when he died. Henry said they weren't really memories, more a strange feeling that someone was missing.

"You're so like him," Regina murmured.

Henry gave her a quick hug. "You should've done the names the other way."

Regina shook her head, smiling. "You don't have to have his name to be like him."

"Yeah, but Dan's _nothing_ like him."

Regina thought about it. "I think Dan's more like him than he shows. Go on, go be nice to Robin and I'll let you have ice cream later."

Regina put the salad in the fridge and went in search of her third child. Another boy. She'd never told anyone, but she'd only agreed to have another baby because she'd dreamed of having a girl. She was sure that made her wicked. She loved her third son with all her heart, but the idea of never having a daughter still made her ache. She was too old now, though. Almost forty. Okay, that wasn't ancient, but she'd always said only one more.

"Momma!" Roland squealed. He had been sitting on the porch of their cabin, throwing rocks, and he was somehow almost completely covered in dirt.

Regina picked him up and kissed his nose - one of the few relatively clean spots left on his body.

"Come on. Bathtime, before our friends get here."

"Auntie Emma?"

Regina smiled. "Yes, Auntie Emma and Uncle Neal and Auntie Ruby, and all their children. And Grandma, too."

Roland splashed around in his bath; Regina watched him, thinking about his father. Her second husband. It still felt bizarre to have had two. She wasn't sure she loved either of them right. Daniel had been her high school sweetheart and everything had just been so obvious. They'd go to college, they'd get married, they'd get jobs, they'd have children. It had all worked out exactly as it was supposed to, until he'd gotten sick. And then he was just gone, and it had been all too easy to fill the empty space with Robin.

Roland chattered and she reciprocated, enjoying his easy thoughts and engaging curiosity. He wanted to be like Daddy and eat four burgers. Regina wondered who he was like, really. Her? He was too… Too free. A wild little thing, as if he should live in trees.

"Come on, Monkey," she said, wrapping him in a towel. "What do you want to wear to the party?"

The barbecue had been Robin's idea. He'd wanted to meet her friends. The three musketeers, because everyone had wondered if they were secretly plotting to kill each other. They'd been friends since High School; in fact, Regina had known Ruby Lucas since kindergarten. Emma had come later, when they were sixteen. The same age as the kids, Regina realised. That felt weird. Ruby had never had a husband, she'd always been a bit of a lone wolf, but her friends were her pack, and she was a great mother to Jen.

Neal Cassidy, Emma's husband, had been at school with them too, though Regina had hardly known him. She still didn't. He talked to Ruby some, but he wasn't great at talking to women. Old fashioned. Or just a bit crappy. Regina had never understood what Emma saw him, but their wedding had been the same year as hers. Her first.

The barbecue had been a great success, the kids manic with laughter, making friends, so they'd turned it into a yearly thing. Of course, Regina saw the Cassidies far more than that, but the barbecue was something different. Like a mini vacation for them all.

Roland found some clothes and Regina gave Dan a look.

"Don't let him get dirty," she mouthed. Dan rolled his eyes, just like she did.

"If you can't keep him clean, how do you expect me to manage it?"

His voice was so deep. He was going to be a man, and Regina was going to be lost.

"I think there was a compliment in there somewhere, Daniel," she chuckled, her eyes shining. She might feel hollow sometimes, but her children were her light.

"I knew you'd find it."

Dan took Roland's hand and led him to the living room.

"Let's read something," he suggested. Regina gave him a wide smile of gratitude. He winked at her. She wished she could stay and listen to him read, she'd always loved to, since he first learned, but she had to go help Robin.

"Hey, gorgeous."

She bit back a snippy comment. She didn't like being addressed by her appearance, but Robin meant to be nice, and she knew that, so she forced a smile.

"Hello, dear. Have I missed anything?"

She surveyed the main table and then the table of meat she had prepared.

"Of course not. You're perfect," he said without looking. She wished he would look. She appreciated the faith he had in her, but it wasn't the reassurance she wanted. She looked over everything herself.

"I'll go and get the bread ready. Where did Henry go?"

Robin pointed. "He's on the jetty, reading. At least he's outside."

Regina didn't miss the negativity in his tone.

"Don't be too hard on him. Emma's Loel is just the same. And they're both wonderful boys."

"Old souls, I guess."

Regina sighed. "Or just, souls different from yours?"

Robin smiled in the way he did when he was "letting her win" a disagreement. She thought it made him look rather constipated.

The bread didn't take long, and then it was time for her to get dressed. She put on her favourite red sundress and matching wedge heels. She had a new red bikini too, which she was definitely planning to air later. She, Emma, and Ruby had something of a competition when it came to their swimwear.

When she came down again, Dan and Roland were building block towers, Robin was grilling, and Henry was still on the jetty. Regina slipped off her shoes and went out to him, enjoying the feeling of the warm wood under her feet. His were dangling in the water; she joined him, smiling when he leaned against her and let her wrap an arm around his shoulders.

"How's batman?"

"In dire straights. But he'll figure it out."

"He always does."

"Well, duh. Hey, Mom?"

Regina looked into his big, brown eyes. "What's up?"

"D'you think Robin knows I don't like him?"

Regina had made a promise when she first saw the two red lines that she would never lie to her children.

"I think you are very different people with very different interests. I know he's never been sure of how to engage with you."

"Do you think if he thought I liked him, he'd like me better?"

Regina held him closer. "He likes you, Henry. He loves you. You have to know that, really."

Henry shrugged. "Your friends like me better."

Regina sighed. "They've known you longer, and they're better at showing it. Robin's very physical-"

"Do you love him? Really? As much as you loved my Dad?"

Regina bit her lip at the interruption.

"He's my husband. He'll never replace your father, but he's our family."

Henry nodded. "But you didn't answer the question."

Regina took a deep breath. "Yes, I love him," she whispered. It wasn't a lie. It wasn't a lie. She took another breath. "You gonna come back to the cabin with me so you're there when they arrive?" she said at a more human volume.

Henry clambered to his feet, tucked his comic under his arm, and held out his hand to help her up. They held hands all the way back to the cabin; the Cassidies' van was pulling up just as they reached the drive.

"HENRY!"

Emma was wrapping him into a huge hug almost before the car had stopped. He pretended to protest, but his godmother meant the world to him. And she liked video games.

Cara slid neatly from the car, smiling shyly at Regina. Regina beamed at her, crouching down to her level and holding out her arms.

"Hey, sweetie," she breathed into her goddaughter's hair. "Did you make your Mom a lady yet?"

Cara pulled back and laughed. "No way. But I've decided I like her the way she is."

"I'm glad to hear it! I'll always support your projects, dear, but I'm quite fond of Emma as she is, too."

Emma rolled her eyes over their heads.

"Where are my other boys?" she demanded when Regina finally stood. Neal was already making his way over to help at the macho grill. Loel and Henry were deep in conversation about something equally fascinating and incomprehensible to the untrained ear, so Regina settled for brushing the shoulder of her other godchild before leading the way into the cabin.

"I know it's a crime to be inside on a day like this," she said as Emma fell into step beside her, "but Roland gets so _dirty_ , I had to give him an extra bath just now and I wanted him to at least be clean until you got here."

Emma grinned. "You should've seen me at five. I didn't have a single item of clothing that didn't have holes and stains."

Regina laughed dryly. "Yes, however, you also didn't have a mother. Roland, on the other hand, has me, and I am determined to raise him properly. Also, my mother will be here shortly and I hardly need to give her extra ammunition."

"Psh, Cora's great!"

"I cannot believe you practically named your daughter after her. You do know she despises you, right?"

"Absolutely. And Cara's not named after her, I just wasn't going to give up my favourite name for some mean old woman."

"Please call her that to her face."

Mirth twinkled in their eyes as they went through to the living room. Cara had gone to "check on the table", but Henry and Loel were with them.

Emma watched as Dan jumped up and pulled Loel into a hug. Loel seemed first surprised, then blissful. Henry looked a little left out, especially when Loel brought up softball, but they managed to pull some kind of group conversation together as they went back outside.

"Emma used to play softball, you know," Regina told the boys.

BREAK

 _Regina already knew the new girl. She was impossible not to notice; she was loud and cheeky and exceptionally bright, and now she was dominating the sports field, too. Regina plucked at her cheerleading uniform. It made her feel awkward, on show, as if the whole world was watching her. She hadn't wanted to join, but she had to do something for gym, and her mother had said it was either this or track (because everything else was dirty). Regina would sooner watch paint dry than run track, so she'd signed up for cheer._

 _Ruby had gone with her, but Ruby had_ legs _. Then again, Regina realised, if everyone was looking at Ruby's legs, they wouldn't be looking at her, so there was no reason for her to be jealous. Ruby's legs worked to her advantage._

" _But if you had legs like Ruby Lucas, you wouldn't mind people looking," a cruel voice in her head supplied._

 _Emma Swan smashed the bat into the ball, her muscles rippling under her tight tank top as she swung, then threw down the bat and charged around the bases. Regina watched, enthralled, until her instructor yelled at her for missing several steps. She blushed, apologising, but couldn't help glancing sideways at Emma at every possible opportunity._

BREAK

"Yeah, and Regina came and cheered for me at every game."

"Not by choice, dear. Not by choice."

"Do you need help, or can we go play catch?" Dan asked. Regina was glad that he was so keen on Loel's suggestion; she'd been worried they'd been growing apart. She didn't want Loel to be left behind, and she thought he was good for Dan. He countered Robin's influence.

She wondered where it had come from, though. Loel certainly didn't look any sportier, but maybe it was just a new interest. Children changed all the time.

Emma caught Henry's forlorn stare after the older boys. She ruffled his hair.

"Come on. I want to teach you how to wrestle."

The poor kid looked terrified. Emma rolled her eyes.

"Joke, Henry. Joke. Let's go sit by the lake and read your comic to Roland, keep him clean for your Grandma."

This suggestion had a far more favourable reception. Regina caught one last twinkle from Emma's bright green eyes before she was greeted by Cara, who was carrying her shoes.

"Can I try them?" Cara asked. Regina settled her on the porch steps and helped her out of her sandals. Cara giggled happily as she clomped around in the heels.

"Everything for dinner looks lovely, by the way," Cara said, smiling.

"Thank you, dear. I was worried I might have missed something.

"I don't think so. We should offer around some drinks, though."

"You're quite right."

Cara sat back on the steps next to Regina.

"My Daddy will want beer."

"I would imagine so. What would you like, Cara?"

Cara smiled at the sound of her name. She liked when people used it. "Just water, please. But can we sit awhile?"

She leaned her head on Regina's lap and waited for comforting hands to begin playing with her hair.

"Are you sad, Auntie Gina?" she asked suddenly, sitting up and staring into Regina's eyes.

"What? No, darling, I'm not sad."

Cara seemed relieved, but still a bit uncertain.

"Why did you think I was sad?" Regina couldn't help but ask.

"It wasn't from now. It was when we arrived. I saw you from the car when you were walking with Henry."

Well, shit. Regina bit her lip. Cara took her hand, playing with her rings.

"I suppose everyone is sad sometimes. But right now I'm very happy. I'm always happy when I get to see you."

Cara accepted this answer and grinned again. "I like seeing you too. You should teach Mommy how to braid."

"She knows how."

"Really?"

"I've seen her do it," Regina confirmed. Cara frowned.

"She told me she couldn't."

Regina paused. Emma had made the same vow of honesty that she had, or so she thought. "Maybe she forgot," Regina reasoned. "I only saw her do it a long time ago."

"When you were at school?"

"Yes, that's right."

Cara nodded. "I like school. My friend Amy and I are going to be friends forever, just like you and Emma."

Regina wasn't sure any friendship could be quite like hers and Emma's, but she smiled and nodded nonetheless.

"But we don't want husbands," Cara added.

"Oh? Why not?"

"Because boys have cooties!"

BREAK

A/N: Again, I'm marking as complete because this could stand alone, but depending on the response, continuation is possible. I could see a massive story erupting from this if you have the interest and I have the time, so I guess we'll have to see.

Note on names: Cara is Latin in origin, meaning beloved. Loel is a shortened spelling of Lowell, English in origin, also meaning beloved. Since Emma lacked love in her childhood, I chose names that suggest her determination to give her children everything she never had.


	2. Chapter 2

Loel caught the ball for the fifth consecutive time, feeling so happy he thought he might burst. Dan jogged over to him and clapped him on the back, not to hard, hard enough to be strong but gentle enough to be affectionate.

"You're not bad, Loel," the older boy said.

Loel shrugged. "I've never been that into sports."

Dan looked back to their families, specifically his stepfather who was leaning over the grill.

"I'm not sure I would have been, but Robin is and he encouraged me, and I think it's good if he and I get along. It's nice for Mom."

Loel thought of things they never talked about, specifically an older, quieter Daniel who never quite faded completely, though these days he was very remote.

"Maybe my Dad would like it if I played sports…"

"You don't have to be someone you're not for your parents. Mom's always saying, we should be who we are. They'll love us no matter what."

Loel smiled. "My Mom says that too."

Dan chuckled. "I think they share a lot of their parenting tricks." He took the ball and tossed it around his body, thinking. "They were friends, like we are."

Loel fought the urge to bite his lip. He didn't want him and Dan to be like his Mom and Regina. He wanted… He let his desires dissipate without naming them, changing the subject before his mind got out of hand.

"Did your school tell you to think about colleges over the summer?"

Dan grimaced. "They sure did. But I don't know… Did you think of anything?"

"Maybe literature."

"Right, because you're into myths and fairytales. I always thought that was so cool."

Loel's eyes lit up. "You did?"

Dan grinned. "Yeah, man, it's so interesting. My hobbies are football and… Well, hanging out and playing video games. And everyone does those, it's so boring."

"Football isn't boring," Loel disagreed. "I think it's impressive."

Dan chuckled. "You would. But I'm not that good, these days I'm mostly doing it so Mom doesn't worry and I have something to put on applications."

"What do you mean, I would?"

"Because you're my best friend."

Best friend. _Best._

"I am?" Loel knew he sounded dumb, but the words slipped out before he could stop them. Dan became very interested in his shoes.

"Yeah, I mean, I have the guys at school and they're fun to hang out with but I've known you my whole life. We talk about stuff, you know? Real stuff. I'm sure you have a ton of other awesome friends to talk about that kind of thing with but-"

"No! I mean, no, I only talk about it with you, too."

Dan smiled, looking up. "Then I'm yours, too."

 _I'm yours_. _He didn't mean it like that. Of course he didn't._ Loel suddenly wanted to run. He could feel his cheeks reddening; he turned to go but Dan stopped him, a soft hand on his shoulder.

"Please don't go," Dan said quietly. "I-"

"Danny!"

A gorgeous dyed-blonde teenage girl in barely there denim shorts and an opaque white crop top ran the rest of the way to them and threw herself into Dan's arms. He hugged her awkwardly.

"Hey, Jenny."

"I missed you," she said, batting her eyelashes. Dan extricated himself from her grasp; she contented herself with fondling his tanned bicep.

"Your Mom's looking for you," Jenny said to Loel.

Loel and Dan shared an apologetic glance, then Loel jogged over to the barbecue wondering what Dan had been going to say.

Regina watched the scene unfold. She had just given Emma a beer.

"I still don't understand how you drink that dishwater," she said.

Emma took a long swig, then smacked her lips. "It's delicious, that's how."

"It's vile."

"How would you even know? You've never tried it."

"You don't know everything about me, Miss Swan."

Emma laughed. "I haven't been Miss Swan for seventeen years."

"You will always be Miss Swan to me."

Emma leaned against her, giving her a nudge. "And you'll always be a stuck up bitch."

Loel interrupted Regina's witty comeback with a well-timed arrival.

"What's up, Mom?" he asked Emma, sounding a bit miffed.

"Uh, nothing? Except your Aunt Regina's being mean."

"Excuse me? _I_ am never mean. You, on the other hand, just called me a b-i-t-c-h."

"He's fifteen, he can spell."

"I know, I just don't like to say the word."

"Mom!"

"Yeaaaah?"

"Jenny said you were looking for me."

Regina pursed her lips, watching the Lucas girl throw herself at Dan. She could see from Loel's expression that she wasn't the only one who felt uncomfortable about this.

"There seems to have been a miscommunication," she said. "But why don't you come to the kitchen with me, Loel? We can get you a drink, then you can help me carry things outside."

Loel nodded, always polite.

"I'll go find the other brats and herd them to the table."

"Emma, do not call our children brats."

"Can I call Jenny a brat?" she muttered in Regina's ear. Regina swatted her arm.

"No," she said out loud. "Even if it is true."

"What did she say to you?" Loel asked as they went inside.

"Something very rude, and unfortunately accurate."

Loel accepted the soda Regina handed him. She leaned against the counter, watching him drink his coke and wondering if he would talk to her. She had once been his closest confidant, but he was getting older, growing secrets he wouldn't tell her.

Loel struggled for words. He loved Regina, she was like a second mother to him, and she was efficient and amazing and her house, unlike theirs, was always clean, which he interpreted as a sign of brilliance.

"Does Dan…" he trailed off.

"Go on, dear."

"Does he like Jenny?" Loel blurted out.

Regina had a strong feeling she knew exactly why this question was being asked, so she wasted no time with pleasantries or insistences that of course he did, she was his friend.

"No. Not in the way you're thinking."

"You're sure?" Loel asked, surprised.

Regina thought about it. "Yes. He has better taste."

Loel sighed. "When did Jenny get so mean?"

"It's a phase. But I know Dan doesn't like it. He told me the other day. It goes without saying that this is between you and me, but he was rather dreading seeing her today."

Regina took in the relief on her godson's face and wished with all her heart that she could give him and her son the fairytale that they deserved.

Something seemed to click in Loel's mind. It did not seem to be a pleasant something.

"Shit!"

"Loel, dear, please do not curse in my house."

"Sorry. Regina… You know, don't you?"

She'd had an inkling for several years, but, "No one can know before you tell them, Loel."

"Do you hate me?"

Regina pulled him into her arms, soda and all.

"You are perfect," she murmured into his ear. "I will always love you, no matter what. But this is not even in the no matter category. This is a good thing, a beautiful thing."

Loel broke away to put down his soda, his eyes glistening with tears. "No it's not."

Regina produced a tissue. "Why do you say that?"

"Because this isn't being bad at sports or liking to read. I'm _gay_ , Regina."

"I'm afraid I don't see your point," she said kindly.

"But my Dad would. Robin would."

"We don't know that. They may be ignorant, but they are good men and they love you and that will not change."

"You really don't mind? Even though I…"

"Even though you like Daniel? No, Loel, I really don't mind," she said, taking his hand. "I'd far rather he dated you than Jenny, that's for sure."

"But Daniel's…"

"Straight? I don't know. We don't know. Maybe he doesn't even know."

"He's going to hate me."

Regina shook her head. "He is _not_. I cannot promise you he will return your feelings, but I know you are his best friend, and he hopes you always will be."

Loel sniffed, embarrassed by his crying. "He said that, just now. He was going to say something else but then Jenny was there and got me out of the way."

"He'll say it. Dan doesn't like to let things fester."

"You… Are you going to tell my Mom?"

"No. But you might feel better if _you_ do."

" _Would_ you tell her?"

Regina raised her eyebrows. "You want me to tell her?"

Loel smiled weakly. "I… I could be there. I just… I don't know how to say it."

"I suppose I have done more bizarre things than this in my time."

"Can we do it now?"

"Right now? This very moment?"

Loel smiled more enthusiastically and Regina had to keep him happy. She took out her phone and called Emma, who answered on the first ring.

"What? I'm literally at your party, why are you calling me?"

"Emma. Kitchen. Now."

Regina hung up. Loel looked at her questioningly.

"She responds better if you don't give her time to argue."

Loel laughed. Emma charged into the kitchen, panting.

"Oh, hey Loel. Why have you summoned me? I thought you were bringing food outside."

Regina closed the door behind Emma.

"Guys, is this some kind of intervention? Because this is only my second beer, I swear."

Loel rolled his eyes. "No, Mom. I, uh… Regina has to tell you something."

Regina rolled her eyes too. "Emma, Loel has asked me to tell you, formally, that he is gay."

Emma paused, open mouthed. She looked from her friend to her son, then strode across the room and wrapped Loel in a hug even bigger than the one Regina had given him.

"Thanks for telling me, kid." She held on tight, feeling him relax into her hold. "Regina, get in here," she called. Regina made a face, but joined the hug.

They separated. "I am going to go outside," Regina said. She took the salad from the fridge. "Bring food with you when you come out."

"Thank you," mother and son said in unison. She smiled, then left the room. Emma turned to Loel.

"I'm so proud of you."

Loel bit his lip.

"I mean it," Emma said firmly. "This is just another part of what an awesome guy you are."

"Really?" Loel whispered.

Emma nodded, then kissed his forehead. She had to raise herself on her toes to do it, but the gesture reminded them both of a happy, simple time.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you first," Loel whispered.

Emma paused. She'd be lying if she said she didn't care at all, but Loel had always needed Regina. She was the conscience, the academic… When they'd finished hating each other, Emma had realised that she and Regina had the perfect balance. In a way they were polar opposites, but that was why they were both necessary. And Emma knew she was awkward and goofy where Regina was calm and sensible.

"Regina and I have always been a team when it comes to you lot. I'm happy you told us both," Emma said firmly.

Loel picked up the bowl of bread, leaving Emma with dishes of chips and coleslaw.

"Thanks," he said gruffly. Emma watched him hurry outside, then expertly juggled the remaining dishes as she followed.

Cara narrowed her eyes disapprovingly.

"Mommy, you're going to drop something."

Emma grinned, skipping the last step to the table and expertly sliding everything onto it. She cackled at her daughter.

"Hah."

Cara shook her head. "You're silly. Auntie Gina?"

Regina chuckled. "Yes, sweetie?"

"Has Emma always been this silly?"

Regina looked Emma up and down, as if evaluating her. Consequently, she couldn't help taking in Emma's shorts and long, tan legs, her roughed up boots, her sleeveless plaid shirt, tied at the bottom to show off a strip of her washboard stomach. She gave herself a shake.

"As long as I have known her, yes," she said to Cara, blushing slightly as Emma raised her eyebrows. Those arms, too. And the eyes, of course.

Cara remembered their earlier conversation.

"Mommy, Auntie Gina says you _do_ know how to braid."

Regina coughed into her hand to hide the rising colour in her cheeks. She wondered if Emma was remembering the same night she had been thinking of - and if the blonde's guilty look was anything to go by, she most certainly was.

"I, uhm, I did braid Regina's hair, once, but it was years ago and I don't know how to do it any more."

Emma stumbled through her answer. It was the truth, but the incident in question was a confusing memory, and joined many others behind a door that had long since been labelled "impossibilities".

"Perhaps I could give you a refresher course later," Regina suggested. She did not know why she said it, the words seemed to appear in their mouth of their own accord and her lips and tongue had been all too eager to say them. Her body was not like her mind; it could not lie to itself.

Cara trotted over to the table and took her seat next to her grandmother.

"At least you have noticed me, my dear," Cora Mills said, sounding incredibly snide.

"Mother!" Regina cried. "I do apologise, I was inside and I missed your arrival. How are you?"

 _I do apologise_ , Emma mimicked behind their backs, making Dan, Loel, Jenny, and Henry cackle. Roland almost outed them, wondering why everyone was laughing, but Ruby herded everyone to the table and chivvied the conversation on to something else.

Regina smiled as Dan made a point to sit beside Loel, with Roland on his other side to give his parents a break from watching him. She smiled even more when Emma flopped into the seat next to _her_.

Cora dominated the conversation, though she asked a lot of questions. Despite insisting she disliked Emma, she took a great interest in the Cassidy brood, wanting to know about Loel's academics and college plans, and practically fawning over Cara. Regina supposed she understood. They were lovely children, and she didn't think it was possible to disapprove of Cara Swan Cassidy.

Neal and Robin drank copiously; Ruby almost matched them. By second helpings, Regina was the only sober adult at the table. Jenny, losing interest in Dan, was texting under the table, and excused herself as soon as she could to call her friends. The boys were talking books, and Cara was back to quizzing Regina and Emma about the history of their friendship.

"So you've heard about Amy?" Emma asked Regina. Regina chuckled.

"Yes. It seems we are inspiring, at least to somebody."

Cara looked from one woman to the other. "You are very different," she decided.

"Aren't you and Amy different?" Emma asked.

Cara thought about it. "Well, she likes strawberry candy but I prefer chocolate. And she has a sister instead of a brother. But we don't argue."

Emma laughed. "Oh, C, Gina and I don't really argue."

Regina raised an eyebrow; Cara laughed.

"What?" Emma asked, grinning. "We don't. It's just joking around - and I know that for sure because I know you know you're always right."

Regina smiled at that. "Suck up," she muttered. Emma batted her eyelashes like a teenager. Cora cleared her throat, feeling left out.

"What are you three giggling about?" she demanded, her words slurring a little.

"Nothing of consequence, mother."

Cora huffed, then pouted until Emma refilled her whiskey and Regina included her in conversation. Cara went to help Henry clear the table, and Cora eyed her daughter and "the Swan girl" who had been a fixture in her life for so long hating her just wasn't worth the energy any more.

"How is the world of law enforcement these days?" she asked Emma in a bored drawl.

"A lot less exciting than working in a city would be," Emma said. "But I'm up for a promotion, the Sheriff's leaving, which leaves the spot open, and I'm the longest serving deputy."

"But you are a woman! And a mother!" Cora exclaimed.

Emma held back an eyeroll.

"It's actually illegal for them to use either of those reasons not to promote me," she said with a small smile. "And anyway, why should being a woman, or a mother, hold me back? Do you think you're any less than a man?"

Cora was affronted. "Of course not! I held up my marriage and my household, and I worked for every penny I have, but in ways that were appropriate! A woman should be there for her children, she should support her husband… How do you feel, Neal, that Emma has so much more of a career than you do?"

Emma was glad the children had gone; if they were here, they wouldn't be able to contain their laughter, especially now that Neal was getting flustered. The horrible thing was, Cora wasn't wrong. Neal _did_ hate that his wife supported him. He still worked in his father's antique store, the same as he had since they'd graduated high school. Emma had always thought they'd move away, but in the end it had been Regina who'd skipped town from Storybrooke, Maine to the big city of Boston.

She'd stayed, at first. They'd bought houses in the same neighbourhood, they'd shared recipes, they'd had dinner parties, they'd even had their first babies in quick succession. But then Daniel had died, Regina had insisted on a change, and… Emma had always thought that she would come back, that she'd go away for a month or two but miss everyone (her) too much and fall back into her old life with her friends to support her. But instead, she'd met Robin, stayed in the city, and stuck to her new life.

She could have been Mayor of Storybrooke. That's what Cora liked to say. But politics had never been Regina's true ambition. She'd worked as a fashion photographer, she had a brilliant eye, but she had all but given up when Roland was born. Robin was wealthy, he owned a lumber company, and he liked to say, repeatedly, that there was no need for Regina to work another day in her life. Regina wished she could relay to him how useless that made her feel, but he remained oblivious.

"Emma's always been a modern woman," Neal said awkwardly. "And I like the simplicity of the store. My life's how it's always been, you know?"

While Emma had been in college, Neal had been "finding himself" on various adventures, funded by his doting father. He'd broken the law, while Emma had learned how to uphold it. Of his peers seated at the table, he was the only one without a degree, and the only one not at all bothered by this fact. Well, Emma told herself she didn't care, that his education wasn't important, and of course, it wasn't about the piece of paper. When she really thought about it, she knew it was about desire. A desire for knowledge, for self improvement, for a world larger than the small town that they lived in. But Neal was content to spend his days working in the store, eating in Granny's diner, going to High School football games, and visiting with friends and family that he'd known all his life.

Cora had a soft spot for Neal. More for his father, really, but she approved of Neal's old fashioned world view.

"You'll have to tie your wife down," she told him. "It won't stop with this promotion. She needs to know you're the man or you'll lose her."

" _Mother_ ," Regina cried. She felt a hand on her knee, holding her back.

"I don't mind," Emma muttered in her ear. She caught Regina's eye, trying to soothe her with a look until the vein in her forehead that jumped out whenever she was emotional settled back to normality.

"Regina, dear, do tell Emma how much you are enjoying yourself now that you no longer work," Cora said. Regina felt Emma's grip tighten on her leg, grounding her, allowing her to answer.

"Yes, it is very relaxing. I have so much time. I don't know what I'll do with myself when Roland starts school in the fall."

"I'm sure you'll find something to occupy you," Cora said, somehow making it sound like an insult.

"Perhaps you can learn to cook something more interesting than lasagne," Robin quipped. He'd meant it as a joke, Regina was sure, but she still felt a wave of frustration. Firstly, her lasagne was prizewinning, it was better than even Mary Margaret Blanchard's! And secondly:

"What is that supposed to mean?" she demanded, wishing she'd had that glass of wine after all.

Robin at least had the decency to appear somewhat chagrinned. "Nothing, I was joking," he said.

Emma almost growled. "We should clear the table!" she said instead, pulling Regina up with her. "Neal, why don't you and Robin take Cora down to the deck and get her settled in a lounge chair? Then when Regina and I are done cleaning up, you know, the _girl stuff_ , you guys can clear away the tables and we can all go for a swim."

It was much more like an order than a suggestion, and Regina smiled gratefully as she loaded her arms with plates. She and Emma traipsed through to the kitchen, but only behind closed doors did Regina allow herself to snap.

"How can she _still_ be like that?" she demanded, hands shaking as she turned on the water for the dishes. Emma moved up behind her, taking her shoulders and easing away the tension with skilful fingers.

"Just let it wash over you," Emma suggested. "You know better than to take anything she says seriously."

Regina sighed, relaxing into the massage.

"I know, I do, but… Surely she wants more for me than… Than _this_!"

Emma turned Regina in her hands, still holding her at arm's length, looking at her contemplatively.

"Aren't you happy?" she asked.

Regina was surprised by the question. It was not something she and Emma usually discussed.

"I…" she began. "I suppose so."

"But if you want Cora to want more for you, you must think there's more your life could be," Emma pointed out.

"I didn't mean _this_ as in my life, I meant _this_ as in housework, dishes, throwing dinner parties!" Regina said, but she wasn't convinced, and neither was Emma. "Do _you_ think my life could be more?" she asked, almost accusingly.

Emma tilted her head to one side. Truthfully, she'd never much liked Robin, but she knew Regina felt the same way about Neal and frankly that was a stone she'd much rather leave unturned. There were some conversations their friendship might not be able to take.

"I want to go back to work when Roland starts school," Regina said in a softer tone. "But… I also want to move back to Storybrooke."

Emma gasped. "Really? You do?"

Regina nodded. "I had this idea, and don't you dare tell a soul about this, Swan, but… I was approached by a little cafe in Boston and they'd seen my old website, from when I used to do fashion shoots, and they'd asked if they could hang some of my pictures and even sell them. I've never sold prints before and I told them I wasn't interested but it got me thinking… I've always been good at baking, I make a great cup of coffee, and Storybrooke doesn't really have any place other than Granny's and I could make a kind of gallery along with it-"

She was interrupted by a squeal of delight that Emma couldn't hold in a moment longer, and then an almost violent hug.

"Yes yes yes yes yes!" Emma cried. "Please do it, please! What does Robin think?"

Regina bit her lip. "I haven't told him yet. I'm sure he'll hate the idea at first, but he'll come around. And then he'll want to invest."

"Shouldn't he?"

Regina sighed. "I want this to be mine. He has his company, his money… I have something my father left me, it won't last forever but it's enough to pay for a property…"

"It sounds amazing, it really does," Emma said. "And I'd love for you to move back. I miss you…"

"Emma, we see each other at least every fortnight, usually more."

Emma made a face. "I'm used to seeing you every day."

Regina settled into a more comfortable position in Emma's arms. "I know," she said quietly. She opened her mouth to say something else, but as always, she stopped before she had even worded the comment in her mind. There were places she and Emma did not speak of, places that had been forbidden for so many years it was no use mentioning them now.

BREAK

" _We're too old for sleepovers," Regina complained, picking disdainfully at the corner of the pink invitation in her hand._

 _Emma examined her own invite. "But it's at the Misthaven mansion!"_

 _Regina sniffed. "That house is far too ostentatious."_

" _Whatever, you're just jealous that their house has seven bathrooms and yours only has six. If you're interested, by the way,_ my _house has one bathroom and Mrs Blanchard takes so long in the shower every morning I know for a fact I'm not the only one that's resorted to peeing in the kitchen sink!"_

 _Regina gasped. "I eat in that kitchen!" she protested, but they were both giggling._

" _What's the big joke?" Ruby asked, sauntering up to them. "Is it that even Swan got an invite? Wow, Elsa's really into this inclusive bullshit, isn't she?"_

" _Shut up, Rubes," Regina said, even though the joke had been clear. Emma felt a strange kind of warmth buzz in her chest as Regina defended her._

" _Whatever," Ruby said, the criticism rolling off her. "Are you guys going?"_

 _Regina pursed her lips. "Em, do you want to?" she asked in the end._

 _Emma smiled cautiously. Regina wondered how she'd ever thought of Emma as confident; the blonde was continuously reserved, and seemed incredibly preoccupied with what other people thought and wanted._

" _It might be fun," Emma said, trying to sound like she didn't really care._

 __" _I guess we can make an appearance," Regina said, partly just to see those green eyes glitter._

 _The party rolled around, Regina lied about a study group, Emma persuaded her foster mother that parents, even young, fun ones, were not welcome, Ruby snuck out past her deaf grandmother, and they strode into Elsa's mansion feeling entirely grown up at seventeen, and completely on top of the world._

 _Emma had been drunk before, and Ruby and Regina had at least tasted alcohol, but the levels of merriment at the Misthaven party were a new experience. They danced, they buzzed, they sang karaoke, they gossiped about boys, they raced around the castle-like home… Regina and Emma ended up sitting on a balcony, breathing in the cool night air, thinking back over the past year. Their junior year. After the summer they'd be seniors, and then they'd be adults and go to college and get married and get jobs and have lives…_

 __" _I can't wait to get out of here," Emma lied, her fingers entwining with Regina's._

" _You don't have to run forever, you know," Regina said. "Not any more."_

 _Emma took a deep breath. Regina passed her the cigarette they were sharing; she inhaled the smoke until she felt it lighten her head._

" _You think they really love me?" Emma asked._

" _I know I do," Regina said without thinking. Emma had meant the Blanchards, her foster family, but Regina couldn't speak for them. In the moment, she'd said the only thing that made sense, but now, as she took back the cigarette with a shaking hand, she wondered if it had been a terrible mistake. What if Emma took her confession for something other than what it truly was._

 _Or worse, what if she didn't?_

" _I love you too," Emma said in a whisper so quiet it was almost swallowed by the night sky._

 _Regina put out the cigarette and let it fall to the ornamental garden beneath them. When she looked up from watching it, Emma's face was tantalisingly close to hers. She started, jerking away involuntarily._

 __" _Your hair is a mess!" she announced suddenly, blurting out the first stupid thing that came into her head._

 _Emma stared, bemused. Had she misread it? Had Regina meant just as friends?_

" _You cannot possibly go to sleep like that," Regina continued. "I will braid it for you."_

 _Emma decided it would be pointless to mention that she'd gone to sleep with messy hair just fine every single other night of her life. She followed Regina inside; they were in a bedroom. They stared at each other, desperately awkward, until Emma bounced onto the bed, grinned widely, and turned to her best friend._

 __" _Well, don't leave a girl hanging! You said you were gonna braid my hair - get to it!"_

 _Regina stood, stranded, for another few seconds, wondering what the hell was going on, but then she got her act together, knelt on the bed behind Emma, and began combing her fingers through long, gold tangles._

 _Emma tried not to moan with pleasure as Regina's gentle caresses sent tingles through her scalp, and then somehow her whole body. They could hear each other's breathing, feel the warmth of each other's bodies, feel the tension in the room building irrevocably._

 _The braid was finished all too soon. Emma felt Regina's hands still and wondered how she could possibly prolong the interaction. She'd thought, when Regina moved away, that the other girl hadn't felt the same, hadn't meant the same thing when she said she loved her, but the way they were when they were together, the way she was breathing, the way her dark eyes were black with the need Emma knew was reflected in her own-_

" _I have to do yours!" she said suddenly. Regina touched her long brown ponytail._

 __" _Mine?"_

" _Yeah, yours. You braided my hair, I should braid yours."_

" _But I can braid my own hair."_

" _It's not the same. Come on."_

 _Regina allowed Emma to switch their positions, but she turned, looking at Emma over her shoulder._

 __" _Do you even know how to braid hair?" she asked incredulously._

 __" _Nope," Emma said with a smile. "But you're going to teach me. And don't pretend you won't enjoy it, I know how you love bossing me around."_

BREAK

A/N: I came back! Thoughts, feelings, ideas..?


	3. Chapter 3

Note: Don't listen to any of the songs in Adele's "25" when you read this story. Do not.

BREAK

"Mommy? Auntie Gina?"

Emma and Regina were abruptly shaken out of their reverie, and their hug.

"Hey, Cara," Emma said, pulling back from her _friend_. "Auntie Gina and I were just-"

"Having a cuddle, I know. I like cuddles too," Cara said, smiling widely and holding out her arms. The women didn't need to be told twice; they both crouched down to hug the little girl.

"We're just doing the dishes, kiddo," Emma said. "Did you come to help?"

Cara didn't catch the teasing. "Actually I came to ask you where my swimming things are, but I can help if you want."

"I'll never know how _you_ managed to raise such a polite child, Em. It's okay, Cara, we'll be fine. And I think I saw your backpack on the porch. Do you want to get changed in the bedroom upstairs?"

Cara nodded and trotted off to get her bag.

"If they're talking about swimming, everyone'll be coming in," Emma said, not quite sure why she felt so disappointed.

Regina heard the tone. "We could go for a walk. They wouldn't miss us, not for a while."

"And leave the dishes? Regina Mills, I am appalled!"

Regina laughed.

"Are you really going to move back?" Emma asked softly.

"If Robin-" Regina cut herself off when she saw Emma's grimace. "You know what, Swan? Yes. I am. Husband be damned, I can do what I want. And you'd better be the Sheriff by the time I get there."

Emma grinned wickedly. "Wouldn't it make sense to move before Roland starts school? That way he won't have to change."

Regina swatted her with a tea towel; they were washing their way through the dishes with a practised ease - they did this every time the families met.

"I never thought I'd say this, but I miss high school," Regina said. "Not all of it, but… Remember the night I braided your hair?"

"I was just thinking about it!"

"Me too. Because of Cara. Wise little girl. Anyway. I miss that."

"Braiding my hair? You can braid my hair any time you want."

"No, I miss… I miss just _being_ with you. Being crazy. Getting drunk, sharing cigarettes, feeling like I was the star of a movie, like I could do anything, be anything, love anyone."

"Remember how that night ended?" Emma asked.

"Elsa's parents came home and we went back to your parents' and got screamed at by Mrs Blanchard until she'd woken up the whole building?"

"Such a good night… They ask after you, you know. Lots. Mary Margaret especially. I think she might even have forgiven you over the lasagne thing."

Regina chuckled as she remembered cooking for the Blanchards, aged 18. She'd been horrifically nervous, desperate for their approval, and she'd outdone herself. David had told her the meal was even better than his wife's version - and Mary Margaret had wanted to kill them both.

"Did she ever find out that you and David used to pee in the kitchen sink?"

"Nope. And who said anything about _used to_?"

"Bleach it, and I'll consider coming over one weekend."

"Just you, or the whole crew? You know, they haven't really met Robin." _Not that they're missing anything_ , Emma added under her breath.

"Emma Swan, I heard that!" Regina cried, but she didn't seem angry. "Would she like to see the children?"

"Duh! She's obsessed with kids. They're handy, actually - they keep her nice and busy. Whenever we go over there, I just push Cara forward and I hardly have to talk."

"Do you still watch baseball with your father?"

"Yep. And we still have your catcher's mitt, whenever you want to come back and practise."

They were about to fall back into a stream of reminiscing about epic catching practices when there was another interruption in the form of a disgruntled looking Jenny. She slumped at the table, making no move to help with the dishes, pulling out her phone. Emma and Regina exchanged a look.

"Let's go get our swimming stuff," Emma mouthed. They went upstairs and into Regina's room. Emma grinned at Cara's clothes folded neatly on the bed.

"My kid. _Mine_."

Regina rolled her eyes. Emma laughed.

"I know, I know, she gets it all from you."

Regina froze. For a moment it had been as if Cara was _theirs_. Emma's and hers. Their daughter. Their daughter _together_. She blinked, then extracted her tiny red bathing suit from a drawer.

"That's not clothes," Emma blurted. "It's way too small."

"It's efficiently designed."

Emma took out her sportier black bikini. She liked that it was sturdy. She also liked that it made her boobs look huge.

They changed in the same room, oddly silent. Emma found herself _not looking_. It felt weird. It wasn't like she was a prude, and there was nothing on show that she hadn't seen many times before.

"Emma, give me a hand?" Regina asked suddenly. Emma looked up. Regina was dressed, but she was holding the strings of the top part of her suit - they needed to be tied behind her back. Emma blushed.

"You want me to tie it?"

Regina rolled her eyes. "No, I want you to tear it off me." There was a long and pregnant pause. "Of course I want you to tie it, Emma!"

"Right, yeah, sorry," Emma stammered, stepping forward and taking the strings with wobbly fingers.

She tied the stretchy strings, worrying way too much about the tightness, then patted Regina awkwardly between the shoulder blades.

"Okay, all done," she mumbled. Regina turned, sticking out her chest and beaming.

"Do you like it?" she asked.

Emma wondered what was redder - her face, or the barely there fabric stretched over Regina's breasts. She guessed it was the former.

"They're very nice. I mean the swimsuit, it's… Nice."

Regina shook her head at her strange friend, ignoring the bubbly feeling in her stomach that knew exactly what was wrong with Emma.

"I like yours, too."

Did she mean the swimsuit or the breasts? Emma was at a loss. She tugged nervously at the bottoms, hoping her ass looked as good as it had in high school.

Emma gasped. Regina's hand was on her stomach.

"What are _these_?"

Emma looked down, expecting to see something horrific.

"Oh, you mean the abs," she exclaimed with relief. "You noticed! It took longer to get them back the second time, I bounced back so fast after Loel but Cara stretched me out for years."

Regina looked at her own stomach, tracing the off-white lines of her stretch marks with a finger, then poking into the soft flesh.

"Robin says I'm getting a tummy. He offered to buy me a gym membership for my birthday."

Emma forgot all her awkwardness in favour of rage. So what if Regina had a tummy? She was the most beautiful woman on the planet, Robin was a lucky son of a bitch, and Emma ought to punch his lights out.

"He's an asshole, Regina!" she almost yelled, replacing Regina's hand with her own and stroking her friend's body. "And everybody has a tummy. It's where we keep our vital organs."

Regina sighed. "I think he wants me to be more like you or Ruby."

"Sure, because everybody has the same body type. He can go fuck himself, Mills, that's what he can do, and _you_ can go find someone who'll appreciate the fucking goddess that you are." _Someone like me_ , Emma's unruly mind added for her.

Regina felt tears prickle in her eyes as she pulled Emma into a hug. A hug with a lot of skin to skin contact.

"Thanks, Em," she said thickly.

"Always."

The kiss Regina pressed to Emma's shoulder was nothing more than an accidental brush, a platonic gesture, symbolising the sisterly closeness of friends…

BREAK

The boys were all in the water, even Henry. Dan and Loel were teaching the younger ones some kind of ball game. Jenny was on a lounger beside Cora, in her bikini now but still on her phone, and Ruby was enjoying a beer while Neal and Robin enjoyed her swimsuit. Emma and Regina watched the scene for a few moments before Cara joined them. She appeared to be close to tears.

Emma scooped her up and kissed her forehead.

"What's up, kid? I thought you were psyched to go swimming."

Cara frowned and mumbled something unintelligible. Regina put her arm around Emma and stroked Cara's hair.

"Big girl voice, sweetheart," she said gently.

"Grandma Cora said nice girls don't play rough and tumble games," Cara said more loudly.

"Grandma Cora's full of sh- uhm, sugar," Emma said. "You can play if you want to, Cara."

"But I want to be a nice girl."

Emma paused, then winked at Regina.

"Cara, honey?"

Cara nodded.

"Do you think Auntie Gina's a nice girl?"

"Of course!" Cara exclaimed.

Regina grinned, said a silent Hail Mary for the strings of her bikini, and ran down the full length of the pier, cannonballing into the water right in the middle of the game. She grabbed the ball and launched it at Daniel, who caught it as he cackled with glee.

"Mom, you're crazy!" he told her.

Cara, misery forgotten, wriggled in Emma's arms to be let down so she could follow her Auntie. Even Jenny seemed somewhat interested in the game. Soon Cora was the only one left on dry land, and there was an unspoken challenge to see who could splash her the most and still make it look like an accident. Emma only briefly considered drowning Robin, and when they dragged themselves onto the pier over an hour later to warm up and dry off, everyone seemed to be in a good mood.

Loel found himself lying with his head on Dan's stomach, and there was an instant protest when he tried to move.

"I wish we could stay like this forever," Dan said. He looked over at his mother. Something was up with her today. She was always fun, but today she seemed wild. She had jumped into the lake in a tiny swimsuit, right in front of her mother, and her eyes had been sparkling with something he rarely saw in them.

He thought back, trying to remember when it had last happened…

BREAK

 _It was New Year's Eve. Robin had insisted on inviting everyone to their new house in Boston, only to disappear off to an urgent work meeting when it was far too late to cancel. Regina was left with a screaming two year old, an eight year old Henry who refused to go to bed even for a nap, and a thirteen year old Daniel who was furious with her because she'd said he couldn't have his video game on during the party. Ruby was in the kitchen drinking herself into a stupor over a boyfriend she'd actually liked, and Jenny wasn't here - she'd been invited to a sleepover and Ruby "hadn't had the heart to say no". Despite being run ragged by the guests, Regina was offended._

 _And there was the doorbell again! Bouncing her toddler on her hip, Regina dumped a tray of chips on the table and hurried down the hall to open it-_

 _To an irate Emma who charged into the house without so much as a hello after her petulant five year old._

" _Cara Cassidy if you so much as open that mouth to scream you are getting right back in that car!" Emma growled. Cara, red faced from earlier tantrums, stomped inside. Loel peered out from behind a book._

" _Hi, Aunt Regina," he said. Regina wanted to cry._

 __" _Come on in, dear," she said weakly. "Where's your father?"_

" _He went out with friends. He and Mom had a fight. Please don't ask her about it."_

 _Regina nodded. Roland screeched. Grumpy Dan provoked grouchy Henry, which escalated into a full on yelling match. Loel read his book. Cara lay down in the middle of the floor and crossed her arms. Emma was nowhere to be seen. Regina put Roland in his playpen and let him wail from there, pressed her fingers to her temples, closed her eyes, and wished for a miracle._

" _Hi," said a soft, kind voice. Regina opened her eyes to see Emma holding two huge glasses of red wine._

" _Are you an angel?" she asked, taking one and bringing it straight to her lips._

" _I bloody hope not," Emma said, slurping._

 _Regina looked around the room. "It's chaos."_

" _Where's the ball and chain?"_

" _Work."_

" _I thought this shindig was his idea."_

" _It was."_

" _Nice."_

" _Thanks… Emma, what on earth is Cara wearing?"_

 _Emma looked over her shoulder at her daughter, who was dressed in a bizarre assortment of pieces seemingly taken from halloween costumes._

 __" _She is a space cowboy princess, and she is never putting her pyjamas on again," Emma explained._

 __" _Oh. Well, obviously."_

" _Also, she will only eat cupcakes, she can't sleep alone, she hates school and is never going again, and she hates me and only wants Daddy."_

" _No!" came a shout from the floor. "I hate Daddy too!"_

 _Emma laughed. "You know, I actually feel a bit better now." She leaned to mutter in Regina's ear. "Considering Daddy is a selfish asshole who never does anything around the house despite the fact that I am the main breadwinner, have a far more demanding job, and do absolutely everything relating to childcare!"_

 _Ruby wandered into the room. "Regina, you need more booze."_

" _And more pizza," Henry added._

" _And cupcakes!" Cara chimed in._

" _Mommaaaaaaaaaaa," screamed Roland._

 _Emma looked around. "We've lost one. No Dan."_

" _Godammit! He'll be on that damn console! They never do a thing I tell them! But why would they, when Robin practically ignores me?" She began to cry; Emma pulled her into as good a hug as she could manage while juggling the wine, then led her to an armchair._

" _Regina?"_

 _Regina sniffed, but nodded._

 __" _Regina, I am going to turn this into the best party of your life. Loel," she turned to her son, "put your book away for now, honey, and tell your Aunt about how space cowboy princesses came to be while I go get her son."_

 _Loel, bless him, smiled, put his book down, and began a story so animated Cara and Henry began listening too. Emma scooped up Roland and sang him inappropriate rap music as she bounded upstairs._

 __" _Oh Daniel!" she called in a sing song voice. "It's your favourite Auntie…"_

 _Dan appeared in the hallway, a little shamefaced._

" _Hey, Dan. Super important question. Where do you keep the Monopoly set?"_

 _Daniel fetched it. Emma winked._

" _Okay. Question two. Do you know how to order pizza?"_

" _I'm thirteen, not three," Daniel said, rolling his eyes. Emma handed him her cell phone._

" _Knock yourself out. Get ice cream too."_

 _She followed him downstairs and dumped the game on the table. Roland was silent now, though his face was still threatening to cry. She popped him in his high chair and gave him her keys._

" _If you eat them you'll die. So don't," she suggested. He giggled._

 _Loel was reading again, but Cara was in Regina's lap, playing with her hair._

" _Did you forgive me yet?" Emma asked her._

" _I'm thinking about it," Cara said primly._

" _Mills, I have a proposition for you," Emma said. "Remember how I always used to kick your butt at Monopoly? Tonight we're going to show the kids how it's done."_

" _I think you'll find I am the one that kicks_ your _butt," Regina said, but her smile was priceless. Ruby grinned at the pair, shaking her head. They never seemed to realise that their banter was on a different chemical level to that of "friends"._

BREAK

It had been somewhere around thirty minutes into the game, Dan decided. He'd looked over at his mother, who was animatedly negotiating with Emma over the price of a sought after property, and she'd been so _alive_ , so full of light and happiness. He'd seen her as a person, that day, instead of just a shadow.

"Do you remember the Monopoly party?" he asked Loel. Loel was surprised by the out-of-the-blue question, but he saw some kind of connection in the situations.

"Yeah, I remember. Our Moms kissed."

Dan sat up, pulling Loel with him.

"What? I didn't know _that_!"

Loel grinned. "Calm down, it was nothing weird. But Robin was working and my dad wasn't there either and it got to midnight, everyone was tired, we were watching the TV and counting and your Mom was looking kind of sad, because she was on her own I guess, but then at midnight my Mom just leaned over and kissed her, just for a second, and then said something like "just like old times" and then they were both laughing and everyone was really happy."

Daniel thought about it. He vaguely remembered. He looked around; their mothers were lying side by side on a blanket. They had their eyes closed and they weren't really touching, but they were holding hands, their fingers intertwined.

"What?" Loel asked.

"Nothing," Dan said. He brushed off the idea. Friends held hands all the time, especially when they were girls. "I was just remembering, that's all."

"They've been through alot together, I guess," Loel said, looking at the women as well.

"Yeah. They sure have."

BREAK

A/N: Second update of the day - I really am back in business! (The other was Whiskey Princess.) Please review, it's inspiring and wonderful and awesome. Thank you for staying with me, I really love writing this story so please keep reading.


	4. Chapter 4

Regina pulled on a sweater and peered outside. It was twilight, her mother had long since retired to the guest bedroom to sleep off the liquor, Ruby and Jenny had gone home as they had by far the longest trip, and everybody else was around a large bonfire constructed by Robin and Emma (they'd been competing over who could carry the largest logs). Regina sprinkled cinnamon into the vat of hot chocolate she'd prepared and carried it out to her guests.

She served Emma last.

"Don't go home tonight," she breathed in Emma's ear. "We can share the bedroom with Cara and the boys can put the tents up."

Emma leaned into the chair and sighed. Neal was in no fit state to drive and she didn't feel much like it either. Cara was practically asleep in her hot chocolate already… Emma patted her lap and Regina settled on it, too tired and tipsy to be cautious.

"We're staying," Emma called to her husband. "You're in a tent."

Neal rolled his eyes, but he knew Emma was in charge. Emma wrapped her arms around her friend.

"What are you wearing?" she asked suddenly.

Regina looked down at the sweater. She'd thrown it into her bag as an afterthought, but she cringed when she realised.

"An old sweater," she said quietly.

Emma didn't let go, but her arms stiffened and they both felt it.

"I recognise it. It was Daniel's."

Regina nodded, looking into the fire. Emma said nothing. Regina could feel that she was mad, but they were both too stubborn to break the silence that followed. Regina inhaled deeply, smelling smoke and sugar and drying hair.

"Did I ever tell you what he told me, right before..?" Regina whispered.

Emma was so surprised she almost jumped. She looked around; everyone else was either talking or half asleep.

"No," she said softly.

"When he knew… When he knew he only had a little while left, he was so strong, so brave about it. But he made me promise that… That I had to love again." Regina was dangerously close to saying something else, but she bit her tongue.

"And that's why you married Robin?" Emma asked.

Regina paused. "No. I… I think Daniel knew I… That I needed him. That I needed things to be perfect, that I needed the perfect life, the perfect family, the perfect _man_. He knew that things had been complicated when we got together, that my reasoning had been… unorthodox, but that I cared for him very deeply, and he had always been so hopelessly in love with me that he could hardly help himself, it was quite unfair of me really-"

"Regina," Emma interrupted gently. "You're babbling. You never babble. What's wrong?"

Regina leaned back into Emma, feeling damp curls against her cheek. "I know you think Daniel and I were the perfect couple. But that's not true. He was a wonderful man, but… If I had been free to… To truly follow my heart, my choices would have been quite different."

Emma looked at their children, at their husbands, and then at Regina, over her shoulder, a strange, thoughtful profile. She had no idea what to say.

"Cara needs to go to bed," she murmured.

Regina shot up off her lap as if it was on fire, darting into the cabin. Emma frowned. She was pretty sure she knew what Regina had been saying. She was equally sure that she was clueless as to what to do with that information, and her instinct was to ignore it completely, on the basis that it _hurt_. Emma'd had more than her fair share of hurt very early on in life, and these days she did everything she could to avoid it.

Regina begged her racing heart to calm down as she wondered what she had just confessed to. She busied herself in the cabin, collecting bedding for everyone, organising the tents and sofas in case anyone wanted to stay inside. Emma passed her, carrying Cara upstairs, intently avoiding eye contact of any kind. Regina let her go, trying not to think.

Maybe she hadn't understood. Maybe she'd been sleepy, like everybody else, and the words had just been washing over her - and that was why she'd changed the subject so abruptly. Regina was probably worrying about nothing - Robin said she did that all the time. She set the last of the blankets on the porch, called out to the boys to come get them when they needed them, and went back inside, leaning on the closed front door as if it would keep something out. What, she didn't know.

Emma crept downstairs; she'd left Cara on the bed, but wasn't ready to sleep herself. She saw Regina, pressed against the door as if there were invaders outside. Emma scratched her nose. She might not want to think about what Regina was thinking about, but that didn't mean they weren't best friends. She finished the stairs and strode over to the door, bracing her shoulder against it.

"Reckon that'll hold them?"

Regina couldn't help it. She laughed.

"Idiot."

"You started it."

"I was just resting."

"Sure. Want to rest in a bed?"

Regina shook her head. "No."

Emma stood, tucking Regina's hair behind her ear, a gesture her hand carried out without any input from her conscious brain. Shit, this was easy. It would only take a moment, she could just lean forward a few inches and-

"Want some water?"

A nod. Emma nodded too, then led the way to the kitchen, fetching a glass of tap water - just one, harking back to their younger days yet again. They alternated sips, and Emma wondered about speaking, but ultimately decided against.

Finally, the glass was empty, washed, dried, and back in the cupboard. With no further distractions, Regina went upstairs, feeling Emma following her. She stripped, throwing the sweater into a corner, hating it, suddenly. She put on silk pyjamas that were no one's but hers, and looked at Cara, sprawled all over the bed. Emma chuckled quietly.

"When she sleeps, she's like me."

Regina had to laugh, again. Then she went to hide in the bathroom.

The trouble was, the door didn't lock, and while Emma knew about knocking, she didn't seem to know about waiting after you knock until the other person says you can come in - so she barged in and watched Regina pee.

"Don't blush, I've watched much more than that."

"You promised never to speak of that again!" Regina whisper-shouted.

Emma grinned. "I lied."

"And you promised not to look at me."

"Oh, come on, Regina, you know that's impossible. No one can not look at you."

"I was…"

"Taking a shit? I know. It was funny."

"Emma Swan, it most certainly was not funny."

Regina flushed the toilet and Emma laughed.

"It was a bit funny. You were so scared but you kept pretending you weren't and then finally I forced you to come with me and you said you had to _go_ and when you'd talked around it for half an hour and I finally knew what you meant and said I'd leave you just grabbed my hand," Emma grabbed Regina's to demonstrate, "and gave me this desperate look and said _you can't leave me, what if there's another spider_ and so I, ever your knight in shining armour, stayed."

Regina rolled her eyes. "My bowels will be forever in your debt."

Emma still hadn't let go of her hand.

"It's wet."

"That's what she said."

" _Emma_."

Emma stared at her, into those deep, dark eyes that hid a soul secretly terrified of spiders and sleeping outside and being alone at night.

It hadn't really been funny. They'd been 18 and more than educated about the friend zone, and Emma was pretty sure nothing solidified it more than holding your friend/crush/whatever's hand while they took a dump.

"Emma."

"Say it again."

Regina raised an eyebrow, but not in a critical way. Emma shrugged.

"I like it when you say my name."

"Emma," Regina breathed, because she liked saying it, too.

 _I'd like to hear you scream it_ , chipped in Emma's unruly mind.

And then she let go. Not of the hand, but of the act. The pretense that she didn't know exactly what she wanted, what Regina wanted, what they had both wanted for twenty years. She tugged Regina flush against her, feeling the bump of their bodies with a smile, and kissed those full, red lips for all she was worth. Regina had no choice but to kiss back - because there was no other choice. She had wanted this for almost as long as she could remember and refusing it now was as obsolete as considering the fact that she was married. There was nothing else in the world but Emma, her best friend, the one person who had always understood, the one person who had always pushed her and challenged her and told her the truth.

They blended clumsily, lips and teeth and tongues in a beer-stained hurry to make up for lost time, simultaneously wanting to hold hands and grab everything else they could reach.

And then the door opened.

They sprang apart, but not quickly enough for them to be in any doubt that Cora Mills had seen everything. And was still seeing a fair bit, bearing in mind the three buttons of Regina's pyjama top Emma had somehow managed to undo and the telltale redness of Emma's neck that might well turn into a hickey within the next hour.

Cora looked from one woman to the other, cleared her throat, and waited for the longest awkward pause any of them had experienced. Finally, and impossibly primly, Cora spoke.

"This cabin contains only one bathroom, and while rather unsavory, what I just witnessed did not dispel my need to use it."

They all but ran from her, in a state so confused they simply stood for a while once back in their bedroom. Regina re-fastened her buttons. Cara was still sleeping like a (very cute) rock. Emma rolled her shoulders, gave Regina an unreadable glance, then leaned down and adjusted her daughter until she was in the middle of the bed with ample room on either side of her.

"Should we talk?" Regina whispered.

Emma looked at her.

"Fuck."

Regina wondered if that was an alternative suggestion for their next activity, which led to her considering possible locations (kitchen, living room, lake, back in the bathroom as soon as her mother was out of it), but she realised it had probably just been a general expletive.

"In the morning?"

"In the morning everyone will be around, and then we have to leave," Emma said shortly, getting into bed. Regina lay down too, staring at the ceiling. She felt Emma's hand, reaching for hers. Emma folded their fingers together.

"Next week, I'll take a morning off and drive into the city. We can go out for coffee."

"Cafe-bought coffee is extortionate and almost always inferior-"

"On me," Emma said firmly. "Go to sleep, Regina."

"I…"

"I know."

"Do you feel the same?"

"I have done since the day we met."


	5. Chapter 5

Regina woke up with a warm body wrapped around hers.

" _Mm, Emma, too tight," she mumbled._

" _Promise not to get up?"_

" _Fine."_

 _The arms loosened and a face framed by a cascade of blonde hair appeared above hers._

" _What do you wanna do today?"_

 _Regina groaned. "I thought you didn't want to get up."_

 __" _That was then. Move with the times. I smell pancakes."_

 _Regina inhaled deeply. "I love staying here."_

" _Move in," Emma suggested. She was only half joking._

" _My mother might send the army."_

" _They'd be no match for Mrs Blanchard."_

" _You can call her Mary Margaret, you know. She wants you to."_

 _Emma frowned for a moment. "I know."_

 _Regina sighed, sitting up and pulling her friend into a hug._

" _She's not going to let you down, Em. It's been two years."_

 _Emma sniffed into Regina's hair._

" _It only takes once - just because she hasn't yet, doesn't mean she never will. I was with the Swans for three years. Three whole years, from when I was weeks old, and they still gave me up."_

 _Regina hugged harder. "I will never understand them, Em, but their bad choices are no reflection on you."_

 _Emma pulled back. "I know," she lied. "Come on, pancakes!" She faked a smile and Regina followed her out of the room._

"I'm not Emma," said a sleepy little voice.

Regina blinked. Cara was snuggling into her side.

"Sorry, sweetheart. I was half asleep."

"I think she's downstairs."

Regina breathed in. Pancakes. Despite her best efforts, Emma had learned to cook.

"Are you hungry?" Regina asked. Cara considered.

"I need a bath. And I don't have any clean clothes."

Regina chuckled, hugging the little girl.

"One grungy morning probably won't kill us. Can you wait to clean up until you get home?"

Cara sighed. "I guess. Are you going home today too?"

"Do you mean to Storybrooke or to Boston?"

Cara looked a bit embarrassed. "Storybrooke. But it isn't Christmas, so you can't stay over."

Regina laughed. "No, it isn't. I'm going back to Boston tonight, honey, but I'll visit you all in Storybrooke soon. And stay over."

"Christmas isn't soon, it's not for months!"

"Before Christmas, I promise."

Cara narrowed her eyes. "You have to say it again when Mommy's there. Mommy _always_ knows when people are lying. She has a superpower."

"She still tells people that?"

"It's true! She knows."

"Oh, I know she does. Come on then, let's go face the lie detector."

They got out of bed and went downstairs, where _everyone_ was in the kitchen. Regina blanched at the sight of her mother in deep conversation with Robin, but everything seemed perfectly amicable. Emma bumped a huge plate of pancakes down on the table and gave her a semi-genuine grin.

"Hey, sleepyheads. I would have woken you but it was just too adorable." She held up her phone which showed a picture of Regina and Cara, holding each other in their sleep. Regina thought, if she had been a man, people would have suspected, for sure, that she was Cara's other parent.

"Mommy, Auntie Gina said she's going to come and stay in Storybrooke _before_ Christmas," Cara said.

Cora raised her eyebrows. "Did she now?"

Regina pressed her lips together for a moment before answering.

"I did. I plan to. I don't visit enough."

"Well, I must say I'm surprised, especially if you plan to stay with me. I do not spend my days waiting in case you should appear, you know. These things take planning-"

"She'll stay with us, won't you, Regina?" Emma cut in. "No need to put you out, Cora."

Cora grimaced. "I suppose I could make time for a cup of coffee."

"Don't trouble yourself, Mother," Regina said, adding to the forced smiles in the room.

"Can we come?" asked Henry.

"Yeah, I'd like to go back, see my friends," Dan added.

"There's plenty of room," Emma said, ruffling their hair.

Cara sat beside Henry and helped herself to a pancake.

"It'll be nice to see you again soon," she said. "But I wish you were always there."

"Me too," Emma said pointedly. Regina tried not to groan.

"I can't tell you anything," she muttered under her breath as she passed Emma. Emma pulled out a chair for her.

"Life's much easier without secrets," Emma said quietly, but she felt it was far too simple.

Breakfast disappeared, and the Cassidies soon after. Cora prepared to leave, too, but she had to wait for a car service and Regina cornered her outside.

"Whatever you think you saw last night-" Regina began.

"Oh, Regina, do stop fretting. You'll give yourself gas."

"Mother!"

Cora rolled her eyes. Regina wondered why her digestive functions were such a hot topic this weekend.

"I simply mean, I've known about you and the Swan girl for years. It was a problem when you were a teenager, which I made very clear, but these days you're respectably married, you have three sons, you're wealthy… So long as you're discreet, I don't particularly care what you do. You slipped last night, but as long as that doesn't happen again, I see no reason for your private business not to remain that way."

Regina gaped at her mother, who could somehow both criticise and condone her sexuality in the same breath.

"We never-" she tried but Cora just shook her head.

"I have no interest in what you have or haven't done. To me, and the rest of the world, you are happily married to Robin, _as you will remain_."

"But you…"

Cora patted her daughter's shoulder. "Your father never excited me, either, Regina. That is not what marriage is about, as you well know. Do what you need to satisfy yourself. At least if it is with Miss Swan, I might see a little more of you."

Regina hadn't thought she could be any more surprised by the conversation, but there it was.

"Mother, you… You really want to see me?"

A large black car pulled up in front of the cabin. Cora took a step towards it; Regina picked up her bag.

"We may not always see eye to eye, Regina, but you are my daughter and I love you. I have only ever wanted the best for you."

"You… You _forbade_ me to love a woman."

"And well that I did! If you had pursued her then, you would have nothing. You would have no money, no children, and no place in society."

"But I would be-"

"No. Don't go there. Fuck her if you must, but keep the door locked and don't you _dare_ tarnish my name." The driver opened the door of the car; Cora stepped half inside, but looked out once more. "Don't. You. Dare."

Regina bit her lip, her eyes prickling with tears, and nodded.

"Good riddance," came a voice from behind her. Regina tore her gaze away from the car and saw Daniel.

"How much did you hear?" she asked, momentarily terrified.

"Nothing," he said. "Was she really bad?"

Regina gave herself a shake. "No worse than usual, I suppose."

"Do you want some help cleaning?"

"You can go with Robin, I'm used to doing it on my own."

"He already left with the kids. I want to help you."

Regina pulled him into her arms, hanging on to him for dear life.

"I love you," she said. "No matter what, I'll never regret you."

He smiled. "I know," he said. "Love you too, Mom. Even though you're weird sometimes."

"Can you keep a secret from your brothers?" Regina asked him.

"What kind of secret?" Dan asked dubiously.

"I'm thinking about moving back to Storybrooke. Robin would probably spend the working week in Boston, but it's not too far, not really, and he usually works three days at the most. I want to start a cafe, I miss working and once Roland starts school I'll be bored out of my mind if I don't start _doing_ something."

Dan grinned. "I think it's brilliant. And you'd get to be near Emma."

Regina nodded. "Yes," she said softly.

"When would we go?"

"Ideally by the end of summer break, so Roland doesn't have to change schools."

"That's less than two months away!"

"Do you still want to?"

"Did Robin really agree?"

Regina made a face. "I… I haven't checked the time frame with him yet. But maybe… Maybe I'll go anyway."

"You mean, break up with him?"

Regina hated how hopeful Dan sounded.

"No, sweetheart, of course not. I just don't need his permission, I have some money of my own."

Dan sighed. "Oh. Well, yeah, I mean, I think you should definitely do it. Henry'll be thrilled, too. He loves Loel and Cara, and he kind of hates school in Boston."

As soon as he'd said it, Dan all but clapped his hand over his mouth.

"I wasn't supposed to tell you that," he admitted. "But he'll like it if we move. And Roland's too young to care."

Regina smiled. "Then I'll talk to Robin when we get home."

"Will you buy a house?"

"You can help choose it!"

Dan suddenly looked worried.

"Will we have to see Grandma?"

Regina laughed loudly. "If I coped with her for my entire childhood, I daresay you can manage the odd Sunday dinner. Besides, she may be evil, but she employs excellent kitchen staff."

They started cleaning upstairs, stripping the beds, then scrubbing the bathroom together. Regina was burning with questions for Dan, who was checking his phone every two minutes, if not more.

"Who's so interesting?" she asked finally.

Dan blushed. "Uh, nothing," he said, shoving the phone back in his pocket.

Regina smirked. She couldn't help herself.

" _Mom_."

"Tell me who it is, then."

Dan groaned.

"Okay, I'll tell you, but only if you _promise_ not to interfere. At all."

"I promise!" Regina insisted.

"It's Loel."

Regina grinned from ear to ear. She was somewhat relieved; she'd been a little worried it might have been someone else - which she would have completely supported, but it would have been hard not to be disappointed.

"Shut up, Mom. We're just talking."

"I didn't say anything."

Dan rolled his eyes. "You didn't need to. I know you must think this is amazing and perfect and everything, and I mean, it is, but it's all so new and we really don't need anyone else involved."

Regina bit her lip, nodding. She reached over and touched his arm. "I understand. I won't push you about it, I promise. I just think it's nice, that's all."

Dan leaned into her a little. "I think it's nice too."

BREAK

Loel had just gone up to bed, oddly attached to his phone. Emma forced herself not to ask him who it was. She thought she knew, but it seemed almost too good to be true.

Neal was on the couch with a beer and an old football game, Cara had been asleep for an hour, and Emma found herself sitting on the stairs, her mind wandering back to the bathroom in Regina's cabin… She took out her phone, fingers hovering over the screen before she typed a message, which was almost immediately followed by a phone call.

"Hey, Dad."

David had melted into Dad far more quickly than Mary Margaret had become Mom.

"Hey, sweetheart. I got your message, of course you can have tomorrow morning. Why not take the whole day?"

"Oh, I couldn't-"

"Sure you could, honey. Is it to spend with the kids?"

He was so kind. Emma couldn't lie to him. She went to the kitchen, where Neal definitely wouldn't hear.

"Uh, no, actually, it's to drive up to Boston."

David remained politely dense.

"Boston, huh. What's in Boston?"

"Regina," Emma whispered.

David chuckled.

"No need to sound so illicit about it, kid. Why shouldn't you go meet your friend?"

"Yeah, right, of course." Emma stumbled over the words.

"Still take the day, Emma. It's a long drive, you should make the most of being there."

"She said she might visit, soon. Stay, even."

"We'd love to see her. I'll get Mary Margaret working on her lasagna."

" _I heard that, David Blanchard!"_ his wife shouted from the background. #

"Give her my love, I'll bring the kids around-"

"Hi, honey!" chirped Mary Margaret.

"Hey! What did you do with Dad?"

"Your father realised it would be beneficial to his wellbeing to give me the phone. What's this I hear about skipping work and visiting Regina tomorrow?"

"I don't think it's skipping if you have permission from your boss," Emma mumbled.

"Don't mince words with me, Emma Swan." She softened her tone. "Just be careful, honey. Be careful, there."

Emma cleared her throat. "So, uh, do you think you could check in on the kids around lunchtime tomorrow? This isn't going to be a repeated occurrence, I just don't like to leave them the whole day and apparently, despite being right around the corner, Neal can't shoot back here in his lunch hour-"

"No problem, you know I love seeing my grandkids! If you like, ask Cara if she wants to come help me out the whole day. I know Loel won't want to since we don't have that wifi nonsense-"

"Which is ridiculous, by the way-"

"But they're both welcome whenever they want, and he has a key so he can pop by whenever, or go see David at the station. Summer vacation can be awfully boring…"

"Yeah," Emma said with a sigh. The Boston kids were still in school another two weeks, but Storybrooke believed in two full months of fresh, country air. She wondered where Loel might like to work, but she didn't want to force him into small town minimart drudgery… Maybe the stables. She scribbled a note and pinned it to the refrigerator.

 _Hey, sleepyhead,_

 _Cara's at Grandma's, I'm in Boston, so the pad's yours til we get home. If you get bored enough, here's the number of the stables - Regina used to work there, it was literally shovelling shit but she got riding lessons for free. You could ask Dan to do it with you, too - he's welcome to stay here whenever he wants, he rides already and I think they know him there so that might be your in! Have a great day, love you, kid!_

 _Mom_

She wrote down the number of Storybrooke Stables, then every other number she could think of - the Blanchards, Neal's cell, Neal's work, her cell, Regina's cell, Regina's house, the Sheriff's station, David's work cell, even Cora's landline (for dire emergencies only) - and opened the fridge to check for teenager friendly food. They had tons.

She texted Regina, keeping it brief, allowing herself a tiny smile when plans for tomorrow were confirmed.

Neal snored gently from in front of his game. Emma coaxed him awake.

"Go on up to bed, Neal. I'm gonna go for a run."

Neal blinked blearily.

"Now?" he asked as he registered the time.

"I'm antsy. Go to bed."

She pecked his cheek and bounded upstairs to change before he could quiz her further. She changed in record time, meeting him on the stairs.

"Goodnight," she whispered, wishing her smile wasn't quite so fake.

She plugged herself into her 70s disco list (Boogie Wonderland, Get Down Tonight…) and tried to run out her feelings, resolutely ignoring the idea that she'd gone out because she couldn't face the thought of getting into bed with her husband.

She ran all around town, meeting no one. She checked in at the station; a sleepy deputy assured her everything was fine. She did a series of core exercises in the station hallway before all but forcing herself to run home. Neal was out like a light so she showered in the guest bath - and then, since she was already in the guestroom, she just slept there. Convenience, that was the reason.

Emma had a feeling she wasn't fooling anyone, least of all herself.


End file.
